Cable clamp



y 5, 1966 E. WECKESSER 3,

CABLE CLAMP Filed Sept. 21, 1964 I NVE NTOR. Era/w I l 564 555? A95 477 ME United States Patent O 3,258,819 CABLE CLAMP Ethan Weckesser, Chicago, 111., assignor to Weckesser Company, Ilnc., Chicago, Ill. Filed Sept. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 397,715 6 Claims. (Cl. 24-16) My invention relates to a new improvement in a cable clamp and more particularly to a clamp for binding together a plurality of wires, cables, rods or the like.

An object of my invention is in the provision in a clamp of this character of a simplified means for securing opposite ends of the clamp together in clamping relationship.

A still further object of my invention is to provide in a clamp of this character a wedge locking means for securing said clamp in clamping position.

Yet another object of my invention is in the provision in a clamp of this character of a means of one end portion of said clamp for cooperating with said wedge for clamping one end of said clamping position.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of my cable clamp in a clamping position;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary detailed sectional view taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of my improved cable clamp;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary plan view of my cable clamp taken on line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an end elevational view of my cable clamp.

This invention relates to a cable clamp that is made from a semi-flexible material, such as nylon and the like. The invention is primarily used in securing together into a cable formation, a plurality of electrical wires or the like.

My improved cable clamp as shown in FIG. 3 comprises a relatively narrow flat strip or band 10. One end of the strip 10 terminates into an enlarged head 11 which has one side wall 12 thereof inclined away from the corresponding side 13 of the band 10 in an outwardly direction. The one side 13 of the band 10 is provided with a plurality of transversely extending serrations 14 formed intermediate the opposite ends of the band 10 as seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. Each of these transversely extending serrations are of a length slightly less than the width of the band 10 so as to terminate at either end into longitudinally extending ridges 15. These serrations 14 are so formed that they extend in a parallel relation with respect to each other and longitudinally throughout a substantial length of the band 10.

The opposite free end of the band 10 has the side edges 16 thereof tapered inwardly so as to provide a narrower tongue end 17 for the band 10. The opposite side 18 of the band 10 is provided with a centrally located longitudinally extending recess 19; the purpose of which will be hereinafter made apparent.

To connect the cable clamp into a loop about a plurality of wires or the like, I provide a substantially rectangularly shaped lock housing 20. This housing 20 has formed therethrough a rectangular opening 21 which opening is of a width substantially equal to the width of the band 10 at its widest point. One wall 22 of the opening 21 is internally tapered, with the tapered wall 3,258,819 Patented July 5, 1966 ice being provided with a plurality of stepped serrations 23 as seen in FIG. 2. These stepped serrations 23 are of a length equal to the length of the serrations 14 formed in the one side surface 13 of the band 10. As seen in FIG. 6 the serrations 23 formed in the one wall 22 of the housing 20 terminate short of the side walls 23' of the opening 21 so as to provide side recesses 25.

When the cable clamp is in use the tongue end 17 of the band is projected into the lock housing 20 in such a manner that the enlarged head 11 thereof will be positioned within the opening 21 in the manner shown in FIG. 2. By reason of the inclined wall 12 of the enlarged head 11, such head 11 will be caused to lie in facial abutment with the straight wall surface 26 of the opening 21 so as to provide an inclined passage beneath the serrations 23 formed in one wall 22 of the opening 21. The remaining portion of the band 10 is then looped about the cable or strands of electrical wires and reinserted in an opposite direction into the opening 21 formed in the lock housing 20 as seen in FIG. 2.

By this arrangement the serrations 14 formed in the side wall 13 of the band 10 will be brought into registration with the stepped serrations 23 provided by the inclined inner wall 22 of the housing 20. By forcing the Wedgeshaped enlarged head 11 into the opening 21 formed in the housing 20, the band 10 is clamped in the position shown in FIG. 1. In such clamping position, the serrations 14 and the stepped serrations 23 are in registration with each other while the side longitudinal ridges .15 of the band 10 are positioned in the side recesses 25 provided by the housing 20 so as to positively lock the band 10 in a looped condition.

When the cable clamp is used for mounting a cable or for securing into a cable formation a plurality of electrical wires, the loop 27 formed about such wires is drawn tightly so that the coating on such wires, whether it be plastic or rubber, will be compressed into the recess 19 formed on the side wall 18 of the band, which now comprises the inner wall surface of the loop 27. This will prevent the slipping, twisting, or turning of such wires within the loop 27 formed by my improved cable clamp.

By referring generally to FIGS. 1 and 2 when the band 10 is formed into the loop 27 and locked in the lock housing 20, the configuration of the loop 27 binds the band 10 to the housing 20 at points 28. These binding points 28 between the band 10 and the housing 20 prevents accidental displacement of either end of the band 10 relative to the housing 20 and in fact function to more specifically lock the enlarged head 11 in a wedging relation within the opening 21 and the serrations 14 into engagement with the stepped serrations 23 provided by the one wall 22 of the housing 20.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying my invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. A cable clamp comprising (a) an elongated substantially fiat strip of flexible material for wrap-around binding engagement with a plurality of wires and the like, (b) said strip having formed on one flat side thereof a plurality of transversely extending serrations, (c) said serrations being of a width less than the width of said band and terminating at either end into longitudinally extending ridges,

(d) a wedge means at one end of said strip having one side wall thereof inclined outwardly and away from said one fiat side of said strip,

(e) a lock housing having an opening formed therethrough with one wall thereof tapered so as to reduce the size of the opening on one side of said housing,

(f) said tapered wall providing internally stepped serrations extending transversely to the depth of said opening,

(g) said stepped serrations being of a length less than the width of said opening and terminating at either end into parallelly extending recesses, and

(h) said strip being projected first in one direction through said housing so as to position said wedge means of said strip within said opening and then through said opening in an opposite direction with said ridges of said strip being depressed in said recesses provided by said tapered wall defining said opening,

(i) said wedging means engaging said strip within said opening for wedging the serrations formed in said strip into binding engagement with the stepped serrations formed in said tapered wall for securing said band in a Wrapped around binding engagement about the wires.

2. A cable clamp comprising (a) an elongated substantially flat strip of flexible material for wrap-around binding engagement with a plurality of wires and the like,

(b) said strip having formed on one flat side thereof a plurality of transversely extending serrations,

(c) said serrations being of a width less than the width of said band and terminating at either end into longitudinally extending ridges,

(d) a wedge means at one end of said strip having one side wall thereof inclined outwardly and away from said one flat side of said strip,

(e) a lock housing having an opening formed therethrough with one wall thereof tapered so as to reduce the size of the opening on one side of said housing,

(f) said tapered wall providing internallystepped serrations exending transversely to the depth of said opening,

" (g) said stepped serrations being of a length less than the width of said opening and terminating at either end into parallelly extending recesses,

(h) said strip being projected first in one direction through said housing so as to position said wedge means of said strip within said opening and then through said opening in an opposite direction with said ridges of said strip being depressed in said recesses provided by said tapered wall defining said opening,

(i) said wedging means engaging said strip within said opening for wedging the serrations formed in said strip into binding engagement with the stepped serrations formed in said tapered wall for securing said band in a wrapped around binding engagement about the wires, and

(j) a means provided by the opposite flat side of said strip for receiving a portion of said wires connected by said clamp for securing the same thereto.

3. A cable clamp as defined by claim 2 wherein the means provided by the opposite flat side of said strip for receiving a portion of said wires comprises a centrally located recess extending longitudinally therethrough the length of said strip.

4. A cable clamp comprising A (a) an elongated substantially flat strip of flexible material for wrap-around binding engagement with a plurality of wires and the like,

(b) said strip having formed on one flat side thereof a plurality of transversely extending serrations,

(c) said serrations being of a Width less than the width of said band and terminating at either end into longitudinally extending ridges,

(d) an enlarged head portion at one end of said strip having one side wall thereof inclined outwardly and away from said one flat side of said strip,

(e) a lock housing having an opening formed therethrough with one wall thereof tapered so as to reduce the size of the opening on one side of said housing,

(f) said tapered wall providing internally stepped serrations extending transversely to the depth of said opening,

(g) said stepped serrations being of a length less than the width of said opening and terminating at either end into parallelly extending recesses, and

(h) said strip being projected first in one direction through said housing so as to position said enlarged head portion of said strip within said opening and then through said opening in an opposite direction with said ridges of said strip being depressed in said recesses provided by said tapered wall defining said opening,

(i) said enlarged head portion engaging said strip within said opening for wedging the serrations formed in said strip into binding engagement with the stepped Y serrations formed in said tapered wall for securing said band in a wrapped around binding engagement about the wires.

5. A cable clamp comprising (a) an elongated substantially flat strip of flexible material for wrap-around binding engagement with a plurality of wires and the like,

(b) said strip having formed on one flat side thereof a plurality of transversely extending serrations.

(c) said serrations being of a width less than the width of said band and terminating at either end into longitudinally extending ridges,

(d) an enlarged head portion at one end of said strip having one side wall thereof inclined outwardly and 1 away from said one flat side of said strip,

(e) a lock housing having an opening formed therethrough with one wall thereof tapered so as to reduce the size or the opening on one side of said housing,

(f) said tapered wall providing internally stepped serrations extending transversely to the depth of said opening,

( said stepped serrations being of a length less than the width of said opening and terminating at either end into parallelly extending recesses,

(h) said strip being projected first in one direction through said housing so as to position said enlarged head portion of said strip within said opening and then through said opening in an opposite direction with said ridges of said strip being depressed in said recesses provided by said tapered Wall defining said opening,

(i) said enlarged head portion engaging said strip within said opening for wedging the serrations formed in said strip into binding engagement with the stepped serrations formed in said tapered wall for securing said band in a wrapped around binding engagement about the wires, and

(j) a means provided by the opposite flat side of said strip for receiving a portion of said wires connected by said clamp for securing the same thereto.

6. A device as defined by claim 5 wherein the means provided by the opposite flat side of said strip for receiving a portion of said wires comprises a centrally located recess extending longitudinally therethrough the length of said strip.

(Gther references on following page) 5 6 References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,315,098 12/1962 France.

3,152,219 10/1964 Murray et a1 24-16 XR 3,197,829 8/1965 Coveney et a1 WILLIAM FELDMAN, Przmary Exammer.

3,214,808 11/1965 Litwin 2416 5 D. GRIFFIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A CABLE CLAMP COMPRISING (A) AN ELONGATED SUBSTANTIALLY FLAT STRIP OF FLEXIBLE MATERIAL FOR WRAP-AROUND BINDING ENGAGEMENT WITH A PLURALITY OF WIRES AND THE LIKE, (B) SAID STRIP HAVING FORMED ON ONE FLAT SIDE THEREOF A PLURALITY OF TRANSVERSELY EXTENDING SERRATIONS, (C) SAID SERRATIONS BEING OF A WIDTH LESS THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID BAND AND TERMINATING AT EITHER END INTO LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RIDGES, (D) A WEDGE MEANS AT ONE END OF SAID STRIP HAVING ONE SIDE WALL THEREOF INCLINED OUTWARDLY AND AWAY FROM SAID ONE FLAT SIDE OF SAID STRIP, (E) A LOCK HOUSING HAVING AN OPENING FORMED THERETHROUGH WITH ONE WALL THEREOF TAPERED SO AS TO REDUCE THE SIZE OF THE OPENING ON ONE SIDE OF SAID HOUSING, (F) SAID TAPERED WALL PROVIDING INTERNALLY STEPPED SERRATIONS EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY TO THE DEPTH OF SAID OPENING, (G) SAID STEPPED SERRATIONS BEING OF A LENGTH LESS THAN THE WIDTH OF SAID OPENING AND TERMINATING AT EITHER END INTO PARALLELY EXTENDING RECESSES, AND (H) SAID STRIP BEING PROJECTED FIRST IN ONE DIRECTION THROUGH SAID HOUSING SO AS TO POSITION SAID WEDGE MEANS OF SAID STRIP WITHIN SAID OPENING AND THEN THROUGH SAID OPENING IN AN OPPOSITE DIRECTION WITH SAID RIDGES OF SAID STRIP BEING DEPRESSED IN SAID RECESSES PROVIDED BY SAID TAPERED WALL DEFINING SAID OPENING, (I) SAID WEDGING MEANS ENGAGING SAID STRIP WITHIN SAID OPENING FOR WEDGING THE SERRATIONS FORMED IN SAID STRIP INTO BINDING ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STEPPED SERRATIONS FORMED IN SAID TAPERED WALL FOR SECURING SAID BAND IN A WRAPPED AROUND BINDING ENGAGEMENT ABOUT THE WIRES. 